Tainted Love
by Brittney Brightside
Summary: Months after 'Forever Charmed', Billie has moved on with her life, abandoning her witch responsibilities. But when an abusive boyfriend attacks her, who do you suppose she calls? [Phillie]
1. Said Your Lifes not worth it to me

Authors Note: For real this time. It will be updated. I know I tend to start things and not finish them, but...I'm working on that. I think. Or, hope. So please, stick with me guys. Oh, and I know Billie seams a bit OOC, because she wouldn't put up with some jack ass abusing her. But I think she'd be in a really hard palce after all she's been through, and quite possibly her confidence as a witch, and as a woman would be shot.

Warning: In the future, this will be slash. Just so you know. If women loving eachother is something that bothers you, than I suggest you seek help.

Rating: T for now, but may become M for Violence, Language, and..teehee...other stuff.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Billie Jenkins, The Halliwell Sisters, Leo, Wyatt, or Chris. Or anything else associated with Charmed. I do own Jude, sadly.

-----------------

A crisp gray fog hung thick throughout the busy city streets, washing in from the bay. The luminescent sun was lost in it's cover, causing jackets and thick wool caps to be pulled on with haste while rushing out the door. The mist was so dense, that simply stepping outside was enough to soak multiple layers clear through.

Kids bundled in scarves and mittens followed along behind their rushing parents, hands gripped tightly around gloves and purses as to not get lost. Their tiny red noses stuck out from beneath their giant hoods, making it look like an invasion of Rudolph's minions.

The small cafe on the corner was salvation for many, the cozy atmpsphere making a small sanctuary in the fog. Hot lattes and warm muffins were ordered left and right, men and woman moving as far back from the constantly opening door to avoid the bursts of cold outside air. Under a giant hanging fern, in the very back corner, a young blonde woman sat alone.

Billie Jenkins sighed, leaning even further over her cup of coffee, staring into its murky black depths intently. Loose strands of her blonde hair dangled into the liquid, and she didn't even bother to pull them out. She grabbed another generic sugar packet from the holder on the end of the table, ripping it open too forcefully and making the tiny white crystals cascade like the fog outside onto the dark wooden table.

"Shit!" She mumbled as she brushed the sugar onto the floor, ignoring the scathing look that the young boy doing the sweeping sent her. Finally sitting up, she pulled her hair from the cup, dabbing at the dripping blonde mass with her already soggy napkin.

This had not been her day. Since she'd taken the job as a secretary at one of New York's many law firms, she'd been treated like nothing more than a work horse and a slut. Guys continuously hit on her, that is, before they made her get the copies, coffee and phone calls. Today, one of the head lawyers had gone as far as to pinch her on the backside, and when she'd said something to one of the other women, she'd been instructed to keep her mouth shut if she wanted to keep her job.

Then the dry cleaner had lost her most expensive suit, claiming that "Once the garment is dropped off, and the fee paid, they are not responsible for any losses, damages, or defects." _Ass holes. _She thought bitterly, thinking how she'd have to dip into her rent money to replace the suit.

The day had progressively gotten worse after that, including a bad hair cut, her purse strap braking, and not being able to get a cab for fourteen blocks.

"Had a bad day?" A smooth voice whispered into her ear, making her jump. The frown that had been stapled onto her face spread into a smile as she looked up into the seas green eyes of her boyfriend. His rough chin scratched gently at her cheek as he leaned down, giving her a light peck.

"Not anymore." Billie cooed, as he slid around the table to sit across from her. When she'd first left San Francisco after the 'Big Battle', she'd had never felt more alone. Not when Christy was kidnapped, when her parents neglected her, when she thought the Charmed One's were out to get her. She'd graduated from school, and declared to the sisters that she wasn't ready to take over all of their demon duties on her own.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" She asked him, going to move her hand into his on top of the table. As she did a bright flash caught her eye from the otherside of the window, and she gave an involuntary jerk, knocking fer coffee over and right into Jude's lap. Flashes of demon battles seared across her mind. Energyballs. Fireballs. Christy going up in flames after Billie _murdered_ her.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Jude yelled, leaping from his seat, bringing her back to reality. People turned to look but just as quickly went back to their coffees, leaving the two of them ignored.

"You stupid bitch." He hissed, brushing the liquid from his khakis with a napkin. Billie just stared at him wide eyed, nervously biting her lips together. This wasn't the first time he'd said that, and she knew for sure that it wouldn't be the last.

"Jude...I--I'm sorry." She stammered, pulling more napkins from the holder and handing them over to him. He snatched them from her so quickly that the ring on his right knuckle scratched her palm. _I deserve it. _She thought sadly, sitting back down in her seat, now as jumpy as a baby deer. _I am stupid. I should have known that would happen. God, why am I such a klutz? I'm not good enough for Jude. He deserves so much better than me. Everyone does...I'm pathetic._

"Not yet you're not." He growled, his green eyes dark with anger. Ignoring her fearful wimper, he glanced around to make sure no one was watching. "But you're going to be."

Billie just nodded dumbly, ignoring the pain that coursed through her arm as he grabbed her roughly, jerking her up from her seat and practically dragging her out to his car. The parking lot around the back of the cafe was practically empty, accept for an old beat up van, and Jude's BMW.

He released his bruising hold on her arm, shoving her forcefully into the side of the car.

"Get in." He snarled, and she obeyed without thought, willing herself not to cry again. Everytime she messed up he seemed to get angrier and angrier. _I deserve it. _She thought again as she quickly got into the car, turning it on and speeding out of the parking lot. _I deserve every bruise he's given me._

Later that night, Billie dabbed a cold wash cloth at her cry-swollen eyes, before holding it firmly against the giant welt on her right forearm. She hissed sharply as the pressure caused paid to surge through her nervous system, right down to her toes. She sniffed, forcing herself not to cry anymore.

After they'd left the cafe, Jude had driven her recklessly back to her apartment, dragging her inside and throwing her against the wall. She'd cried out loudly, not expecting the shove, and that had just made him more angry.

_"Trying to draw attention from the neighbors, are you?" He'd asked angrily, dragging her up and slapping her sharply across the face before shoving her back down. "They don't care you know. No one cares about you, accept me. I'm the only one who loves you."_

_As he said this his fingers worked at the buckle of his belt, loosening it before whipping it out of the loops so quickly she heard it snap._

_"No one is going to notice you for the rest of your pitiful life. No one has the time for little ol' Billie." He preached, acting like a minister giving sermon to all the lost souls. He took the buckle of the belt in his hand, snapping the two sides together menacingly._

_"No..no." She whispered, backing away from him. Her ankle was twisted badly from the first push against the wall, and she weakly attempted to crawl away from him, dragging her lame foot behind her as she elbowed down the rough carpetted hall._

_"Think you can get away, do you?" He asked with a harsh laugh as he quickly closed the gap between them. "Ah, ah, ah. Don't run from me." And with that, he raised the leather belt, bringing it down with a snap against her back. Her arms. Her legs._

Remembering the things he said brought fresh tears to her eyes, and she collapsed on the sofa, sobs wracking through her already worn out body. No one cares about you, accept me. She rested her head against the rest of the couch, trying to calm her racing heart, trying to get control of her crying. I'm the only one who loves you.

"P--Paige." She cried out, her voice horse from crying. "Phoebe? Please, some one help." She saw a swirl of beautiful white blue lights fill the room, seconds before the world faded away, and she gave into the weakness, blacking out on the couch.

_----_

_The two witches had been sitting in the solarium, relaxing for what felt like the first time in weeks. Between Phoebe's column, Paige's whitelighter duties, Piper's Mommy complex, and the demon fighting that Billie had left them once again responsible for; the three hadn't had a second to themselves. Since it was near impossible to get Piper away from the byos or work or Leo, the two youngest were enjoying some bonding time together._

_"Got any sixes?" Phoebe asked with a smirk, and Paige mock glared at her, handing over two bright red cards._

_"Cheater." Paige pouted as Phoebe happily paired the two up with her own and laid the set down. The older sister already had five pairs, and Paige only had one._

_"Prove it." Phoebe said, sticking out her tongue playfully._

_As if she'd been struck by lightning, Paige had jumped up from her wicker chair, her handfull of cards fluttering to the floor like so many dead leaves. Chris, who had been sitting in her lap, squeeled loudly, at the ubrupt disruption, and the brunette carefully set her into his playpen. The baby, who was now almost a toddler, had been joyfully pulling on her braided pigtail for the last hour, and she had to fight him to let it go._

_Phoebe set her cards down slowly, standing and walking over to her sister, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Paige? What is it?"_

_"Billie." Was all she needed to say before Phoebe had grabbed her hand, and they'd dissapeared through their mystical taxi service._

_---_

"Oh my god." Phoebe breathed, releasing her hold on her younger sisters arm and rushing over to the side of the unconscious blonde. Gently she took the younger womans hand in her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Lightly she ran her fingers over the welt mark on her arm, and the bruising up and down the left side of her face. They hadn't seen Billie in months, the witch having severed all ties. She'd even stopped using her powers so that demons couldn't track her down. Phoebe knew that it was nothing to do with magic. Something completely and disgustingly human had done this to the blonde.

"Who would do this?" Paige whispered, her voice weak as she kneeled down next to her sister. Gingerly she brushed some hair out of Billie's face. "If it were demons she'd be dead right now, no question." Phoebe mearly shrugged, tears stinging in the corner of her own eyes. There was a time, when she was in grade nine and Piper in grade eleven that some of her friends had gotten out of control. Piper had come to pick up Phoebe from a house party, the younger sister smashed beyond belief. When she'd tried to drag her passed out sister out of the arms of three high and horny boys, they'd turned on her, beating her up pretty badly.

Images of her sisters face the next morning when she'd finally woken still haunted Phoebe to this day.

It was what Billie looked like now.

"Paige." Phoebe said softly, a lump in her throat. The whitelighter held her hands over Billie's body, her left hovering just over the blondes face, and the other over her ribs. Soon a golden glow emenated from her hands, giving off a soothing heat that usually made Phoebe feel so safe. As if being erased by a giant pencil, the wounds and marks on Billie's body started to evaporate, until finally they were gone all together.

"Nrmm." Billie groaned, as her consciousness came crashing back. It felt like there were a bunch of tiny emo kids, moshing inside of her occipital lobe. She tried to sit up, but the sharp pain in her head forcing her to lay back down, the muscles in her neck tightening and relaxing as she did. Slowly she opened her eyes, seeing the worried faces of Phoebe and Paige looming over her. She tried to smile, but it came out as more of a wince. Whitelighter powers couldn't heal everything, and she didn't want to bother Paige, so she toughed it out. _I'm not worth her healing anyway._

"Hey there, pretty girl." Phoebe smiled gently, rubbing her thumb comfortingly over Billie's palm. "You had us scared there for a minute."

"Sorry." Billie whispered. Streaks of jet black mascara cascaded down her face, making her usually rosey cheeks look deadly pale. Her eyes didn't quite meet Phoebe's as she spoke, and that sent the brunette into determined mode. Billie always looked her in the eyes, ever since the first time she'd met her. That was one of the things she respected so much about her, her confidence. But now, lying on this couch like a rag doll, she could feel that the confidence was diminished. Weakness was rolling off of her in waves; weakness, and loss of hope.

_'I'm going to find who did this to you.' _Phoebe promised silently, sharing a quick glance with Paige. _'I'm going to find them, and I'm going to make them pay.'_

_**tbc...for real.**_


	2. Screw You

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Billie Jenkins, The Halliwell Sisters, Leo, Wyatt, or Chris. Or anything else associated with Charmed. I do own Jude, sadly.

-----

Now, with a cup of Phoebe's favorite chamomile tea clutched in her tiny hands, Billie felt a thousand times better. The steam rose from the cup, wafting delicious smells of relaxation and comfort directly into her face, the heat helping return the color that had so long been missing. She stared down into the cup, a theme with her these days. It was better than seeing the overwhelming looks of concern and pitty on Paige and Phoebe's faces.

The two witches had fuddled and fussed over her for the last hour, making sure she was comfortable, getting her some yoga pants and a tank top to change into, and making her tea. Now all that was left was for Billie to tell them the tragic tale of how she'd ended up bruised and beaten on her own couch, when there was essentially no one else around. She hadn't heard from Jude since the incident. Usually after one of their little 'mishaps' he would call a few hours later, appologizing and declaring his love for her.

_He's the only one that loves me. _She thought, taking a sip of the tea, enjoying the feel of it scalding down her throat and into her empty stomach where it sloshed like lava, heating her up from the inside out. _Phoebe and Paige just feel responisble for me because I barged into their family last year._

Billie hadn't uttered so much as five words the whole time they'd been there, and Phoebe grew more worried with each passing minute. The silence hung thick about them, tangible like a a curtain of insecurity and distrust. When did it get like this? There had been a time, what felt like ages ago, that Phoebe and Billie could talk about things more easily than she could even with Piper or Paige. They'd been so close, like best friends, and then Billie had betrayed her.

_That was a long time ago. _Phoebe thought, pushing that creeping feeling of pain to the back of her mind.

Paige, who had been simply sitting, witnessing the tension forming, cleared her throat indignantly, giving Billie what she hoped was a comforting smile. She'd had so much trouble with Billie after the battle. Even Piper had been able to forgive the blonde, accepting her with open arms back into their home. But Paige, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She'd been the girls whitelighter, for Gods' sake. Her guide, her teacher, and she'd thrown that in Paige's face like a bad joke.

But now, seeing her like this, realizing what she really had gone through, Paige couldn't bring herself to hate Billie. To even be mad at her. _Even I'm not that much of a heartless bitch. _She thought with a silent little smirk to herself. She glanced at her sister, noting how incredibly worried she looked. _With Pheeb's powers, she must be going grazy with worry right now. I can't even imagine what Billie must be feeling. That, added with Phoebe's own over-protective-ness, is enough to make me need a stiff drink. _She silently chastized herself. Paige hadn't had a drink in over six years.

"So..." Paige prodded awkwardly, hoping to get a conversation going so that they could figure out what had happened. "You wanna tell us what happened, sweetie?"

It took Billie a moment to finally look up at her. For several long seconds, the younger witch simply stared into the glowing gold tea in her black mug, wishing she could be that simple. Warm and comforting and able to be everything for everybody. _I'm not anything to anybody. _She thought, finally dragging her tired blue eyes up to meet Paige's. The whitelighter was surprised to see how much Billie had seemed to age over the last few months. The age wasn't as apparent in her face, since she was only in her twenties, but when Paige looked into her eyes, she could almost feel the lessons that had been learned.

Billie took a deep breath, almost as if preparing for battle. It seemed she could never talk these days without taking that deep breath. It gave her amo, it was her strength. When she was alone, just breathing, meditating, relaxing, she would find herself taking those long deep breaths, like storing up for the next confrontation with Jude. _Jude. _ How would she even begin to make them understand.

"It's nothing, you guys, really." She sighed, looking back down to the now cold tea. There was no way in hell she could look them in the eyes and lie to them. She knew that Phoebe would most likely know she was lying just from being in the same room as her. But she couldn't tell them about Jude, she couldn't let them take him away from her. _I've already lost everyone I love because of them. _She couldn't stop herself from thinking. A salty, bitter taste trickled in her mouth, and she realized she'd biten her own lip in the sudden rush of anger that ripped through her. _They're not taking away the one person I have._

"Billie, that didn't look like nothing." Phoebe said gently, her voice almost a whisper. "Please, let us help you."

"I don't want your help!" Billie replied, her voice a little too loud, a little too harsh, a little too sincere. It cut through Phoebe like a knife.

"Well it seemed like you needed it when you were passed out on the couch because some ass hole beat the shit out of you!" Paige snapped, now standing and crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't have time for this. They'd given everything to this girl; a family, safety, love, and she'd thrown it all away for something evil. "It's not like we came bardging in here without warning, Billie. You called me, remember?"

"Paige." Phoebe scowled at her younger sister.

"I'm sorry, Phoebe. But I don't need this from her. Not again." Paige walked over to the small coffee table, picking up her sweater. "You don't want our help? Fine. Let's go, Pheebs." The whitelighter extended her hand to her sister, ignoring the look of sadness that laced the loathing glare. As far as Paige was concerned this was all some game to Billie. If she wasn't going to take them seriously, and appreciate their help, then she had no business bothering with her.

"No." Phoebe said, not tearing her eyes away from Billie. She leaned forward in her chair, closer to the young witch. "Billie, it's okay. It's okay to need help."

"I don't want your help! Don't you understand that? Just...get out." They both stared at her blankly, eyes searching for something just beneath the surface, shocked.

"GO!" She screamed, and once she started, she couldn't seem to stop. Billie screamed, screamed, screamed until she was sure her throat was bleeding and her lungs would colapse any second. Tears poured down her cheeks, over her chin, down her neck, she was pretty sure if she didn't stop crying she would drowned. _I'm already drowning. _She thought, her voice giving out with a sickening crack. Silent sobs wracking her body.

She sank down onto the floor, covering her knees with her arms, burrying her face into her shaking hands. Her breath was coming in short gasps, each one a stab to her already deflated lungs. The air was like ice down her throat after the screaming, freezing her up inside. Making her body as cold as her heart had become. Images flashed through her mind.

_Christy. Her parents. Piper and Leo. Paige. Phoebe. Jude._

Deep down Billie was disgusted with herself. Everytime she thought about how she'd treated the sisters, she could feel the thick bitter taste of bile rising up in her throat. Everytime she remembered the pain she'd been through, emotionally, physically, and mentally she was appalled at herself for allowing it to happen. But life was like a tidle wave, it had swept her up. She was lost in the break and she didn't know how to escape without drowning.

Now all she could could do was go with the current, hoping by some miracle to land somewhere safe.

Phoebe was crying too, silent tears slithering down her face, to the corners of her mouth like salty reminders that she was somehow responsible for the breaking of the girl in front of her. _If I'd just tried harder. If I'd held on tighter. I'm a fucking advice columnist, and I couldn't even stop for a second to help one of the people I care about most in the world. Why does everyone I love leave? _Just being in the same room with her, when such a wave of angst and passion was flowing through the room like magma, Phoebe had started feeling Billie's feelings, the pain mixing in with her own so much that she couldn't even tell who's pain was who's. _Mom, Dad, Grams, Prue. My entire family just left me, expecting me to know what to do with my life. To know how to take care of myself. I could never take care of myself, they knew that! How could they just leave? How can they be up there, watching all of this, and not do a fucking thing about it? What about Cole? Haven't I suffered enough, or is my demon ex-husband from hell not enough for destiny? Is Phoebe Halliwell not enough of a joke already?_

She wasn't sure when it happened, she had no memory of moving at all. But now, they were together, Phoebe's arms wrapped tightly around Billie, holding her for dear life, protecting her from the jagged edges of reality. They were sobbing into eachothers shoulders, a tangle of brown and blonde and tears. Paige didn't know what to do with herself, standing in the corner, feeling as insignificant as a fly. She'd hurt Billie. She'd caused this.

The two shattered souls in front of her weren't the only ones to have experienced loss.

Billie pulled back from Phoebe, scurrying away from her like she'd been stung.

"Just go." She whispered, her eyes dripping with terror, her voice trembling. She was visibly shaking, her arms tense at her sides as she pressed her back to the wall.

"Billie-" Phoebe started, but Paige shook her head. The younger sister walked over to Phoebe, never taking her hazel eyes off the terrified blonde in front of her.

"C'mon Phoebe." Paige said calmly, putting her hand on her sisters shoulder, and orbing out before she could put up a fight. Paige knew she would be toast as soon as they got back to the manor, she knew Phoebe would rant and rave and cry and fight until she orbed them back. She knew that she would give in. But mostly she knew, that leaving Billie was a mistake.

_Something bad is going to happen. _She thought as they rematerialized. _I can feel it._

Back in Billie's apartment, the shrill sounds of a phone ringning echoed off of the walls.

**Jude.**


	3. You said fall and I fell

**Disclaimer: I do not own charmed, or Face Down. They are owned by Brad and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.**

Billie stumbled down the carpetted hall, shedding clothes as she went. Her shoulders screamed as she slipped her blouse off over her head. Her calve muscles twitching as she kicked off her shoes. It was a miracle that she managed to get fully undressed without collapsing. Slowly, she slid into the bathroom, spinning the knob in the tub and sending a stream of crystal clear water out of the spout. The water was hot, too hot, but she didn't do anything about it. She deserved hot. She needed to be cleansed. Whether from the beating, or her own actions she wasn't sure.

She pushed the button on the cd player she kept in the bathroom, the radio coming on, voices filling the room like a church chorus.

**Cover up with make up in the mirror  
tell yourself it's never gonna happen again  
you cry alone and then he swears he loves you. **

Gingerly she slid into the tub, hissing loudly as the water burned the sensitive bruises on her legs and ribs. She was so engulfed in the stinging, in the pain, in the release, that she didn't stop. She lowered her self fully into the tub, letting the heat work away the tension. She took a deep breath, and soon, she was crying, sobbing, breaking into a million pieces. Soon she would drown, engulfed in the steam, lost in the water and the pain.

**Do you feel like a man  
when you push her round?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground? **

In a flash she jerked up, stopping herself. She couldn't cry anymore. She couldn't be that girl who let everything get to her, who let everyone else break her down, tear her up, rip her to shreds. She did enough of that to herself as it was. So she splashed her face with water, shook her head a bit, and went about washing herself off. Eventually, when the water was like ice and the tips of her fingers were disfigured and wrinkled, she stood up.

**A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect  
every action in this world will bear a consequence  
If you wait around forever you will surely drown  
I see what's going down. **

Billie picked up a cloud of a towel, wrapping it around herself. The droplets of water condensed on her skin, making it dewey and cool against the sudden coldness of leaving the bathroom. It seemed an hour before she walked the the short distance from the bathroom to her bed, but as she collapsed onto the fluffly comforter, she felt that snake slithering up her spine again. The memories. The pain.

_Ring. Ring. Click._

_"I know you're there, Billie." Jude's voice cooed over the answering machine. "Now c'mon, and pick up the phone before you make Daddy angry. I love you baby, c'mon, pick it up." As quickly as she could, Billie scrambled up from the floor, falling down next to the reciever and clicking it on. She swallowed the rock in her throat, praying that her voice wasn't as shaky as she was._

_"J-Jude?" She asked, her voice a harsh whisper._

_"Hey, baby. I knew you were there. Why didn't you pick up?"_

_"I was a-asleep."_

_"For a second there I thought there was another guy over there, and I'd have to come kill him." His harsh laugh filled her ears, drowning out her thoughts, paralyzing her. "But I know you'd never do that to me. Right?" The last word was a challenge. A threat. Another crack of the whip he'd used against her so many times._

_"Of course."_

_"I was just calling to check on you. I'll see you in the morning."_

_"Alright, s-see you." She reached to click off the speaker phone, aching for the second his voice would be gone from her ears. She loved him, she loved him more than anything. But sometimes he was like poison, and she was lapping him up, drop for drop. She knew it too. But he was the only one who cared, the only one who loved her. How could she not love that?_

_"Bye, Baby." Click. Click. Click._

- Halliwell Manor -

Phoebe wasn't talking to Paige. The minute they'd appeared back in the solarium, Wyatt now trotting across the floor with a Tonka truck, Phobe had strutted off, shooting a scathing glare at her sister. Paige knew she was in trouble. Worse. She knew Billie was in trouble, and it was probably her fault. Her eyes followed her older sister as she stalked up the wooden stairs of the Manor, her face set in the determined way it seemed to be so often set these days.

"What was that all about?" Piper asked innocently, walking up next to Paige and watching Phoebe go. She was holding Chris, the tiny boy now soundly asleep in his mothers arms, his pudgy thumb stuck in between his lips. He looked like an angel, which was appropriet considering who his father was. _Baby boy, we sure could use an angel to help Billie. _Paige thought as she stroked his velvet hair.

"Billie." Paige sighed, looking into her sisters eyes. "She called for us. After all these months."

"What?" Piper gasped, her chocolate eyes concerned and confused. "But...she hasn't done that in months. What was up?"

"Something, or someone, beat her pretty badly. I'd say black eyes, a few broken ribs. I healed her, but after that she wouldn't talk to us." Paige sighed, and took a seat on the wicker chair she'd been sitting in before. She rested her elbows on her legs, pressing her palms into her eyes. This wasn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Wasn't she supposed to be the super-whitelighter now? And she couldn't even help one girl.

One girl she knew. One girl who was like a sister.

Piper stared at the stairs, as if seeing someone standing there. She had the look on her face that she got whenever something bad was about to happen. Like she was trying to solve a puzzle without all of the pieces. That was Piper. Always trying to solve the problem, rarely paying any attention to the consequences as long as they got it done. _Leo. Leo. Leo._

_flashback_

_Phoebe sighed, her eyes cast down to the floor, finding herself unable to look at her sister any longer. Over the weeks since Leo'd been taken, Piper had become someone completely different. Focused solely on getting him back, not caring who she hurt, who she pushed away. It was all about Leo. It would always be all about Leo. _

_Phoebe turned to Paige, her younger sister looking so much like those tiny china dolls. Her pale cheeks had a faint blush to them, whether from make up or awkwardness at the conversation, Phoebe would never know. Paige's lips, splashed with violent red, so metaphorical for the situation. Bright red, anger, urgency, confusion._

_"Well, I'm sorry." She said, dragging her eyes up to Piper, wincing at the 'holyer than thou' smirk her normally loving sister was wearing. "But I still don't like it." Phoebe couldn't take it anymore, she turned on her heal, breezing out of the room like the breath from her lips; ragged and quick. Emotions were running too high for her; the empath in her going crazy with Piper's anguish and Paige's...secrecy?_

_"What about you?" Piper asked, turning her accusing glare to Paige._

_"What about me?" Paige scoffed. She'd seen the worst in Piper. She'd seen her give up everything, sacrificing her family and herself for what she needed. The first time she'd met Piper had been just after they'd lost Prue. At her darkest time. Or so they'd thought. None of them had guessed what would happen the next time Leo was taken. The first time had been bad. She knew that much. But this time, was the gathering storm. The building up of all the things that irked her over the years. Leo being taken was just an outlet for all of her anger, and helplessness. "What about you? Or better yet, what about Phoebe?"_

_"Phoebe is just going to have to be a big girl and--" Paige cut her off. She'd had enough excuses._

_"Piper, c'mon. If you don't see what this is doing to her, than you're not as great a big sister as I thought."_

_Piper was silent, struck dumb by the harsh bluntness of Paige's comment._

_"What the hell are you talking about?"_

_"I'm talking about you seperating Phoebe from the person she loves! You know, just like you are from Leo? Except, you got to spend eight years with Leo, he's been gone for a month. Phoebe just met Billie, and you pushing and pulling and running everybody ragged is going to kill her before you even notice she'd dying."_

_Piper didn't know how to respond to that. So she didn't. She simply turned and left, and the two of them had never spoken of it again._

_end_

"This is bad." Piper said quietly, not looking up at Paige, but down at the slumbering babe in her arms. If there as one thing on this earth that she understood better than anything, one thing that she would fight for until she died, and even after that; it was love and the happiness of her sister. Phoebe was her world. Her baby sister. The one thing that had been there her whole life.

"You have no idea." Paige sighed.

**A/n: Sorry this is so short, I just wanted to make sure to get it out before I went to sleep. I'm not really getting much feedback on this story, and to tell you the truth it pretty much sucks. This is my favorite thing I've written, something I really love. And all I'm getting is "Good story. Update soon." I want to know what's good. What sucks. What you love. What you want.**

**Talk to me people! And for Charmed's sakes: review!**


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